The present invention is directed to vehicle transmissions. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a retainer sleeve which surrounds a differential carrier inside the transmission housing which keeps the axle for two of the spider gears from blowing a hole in the housing should the retention pin break, or otherwise become disengaged, from the axle.
A number of transmissions suffer from a common problem. An axle for a pair of spider gears is retained in place in the differential carrier by a fragile pin. This pin frequently breaks or otherwise becomes disengaged allowing the axle to axially slide out of its housed position in the differential carrier. This often happens when the differential carrier is turning at speeds upwards of 5000 rpm. This will launch this axle at high velocity, impacting the transmission housing and knocking a hole in the wall of this cast aluminum part. This greatly exacerbates the damage caused by the axle being let loose and multiplies the expense to the vehicle's owner. This missile and the shrapnel it creates can do additional damage to the vehicle, as well as pose a safety threat to the passengers of the car or truck.
While a number of transmissions have this problem, the particular transmission for which the retainer ring of the present invention has been designed is the 604 trans-axle, a transmission used on most all Chrysler minivans since 1988. In a transmission housing in which a fragile pin serves as retention means for an axle for one or more spider gears in a differential carrier, the present invention comprises a sleeve which encircles the differential carrier at a point in which the axle is mounted for rotation in the differential carrier; means to attach said sleeve to a ring of a ring and pinion of the differential carrier; whereby when the fragile pin breaks, said sleeve retains the axle within the differential carrier preventing the axle from damaging the transmission housing.
The sleeve preferably comprises an annulus, or ring, which has a width at least as great as the diameter of the axle. This sleeve has a pair of legs extending from opposed edge portions of the annulus and each of the legs has a laterally extending foot. Each foot has a hole there through which overlies a bore in the ring of the differential carrier. When the bolts are inserted through the bores in the ring, the retaining sleeve is secured in position to prevent the axle from being launched into the side of the transmission housing when the retention pin breaks or is otherwise disengaged.
Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after a reading of the following specification.